Closure cap and flexible pour spout for storage containers



y 31, 1962 R. H. RICHMOND 3,047,195

CLOSURE CAP AND FLEXIBLE POUR SPOUT FOR STORAGE CONTAINERS Filed April9. 1958 INVENTOR.

ROY H. RICHMOND ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,047,195 CLOSURE CAP ANDFLEXIBLE POUR SPOUT FOR STORAGE CGNTAINERS Roy H. Richmond, Wellsburg,W. Van, assignor to Eagle Manufacturing Company, Wellsburg, W. Va., acorporation of West Virginia Filed Apr. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 727,316 1Claim. (Cl. 222-570) The present invention pertains generally toportable metal storage containers for gasoline, kerosene, oil and othervolatile liquids. More specifically, the invention is directed to aflexible rubber pour spout for mounting in a said container closure cap.

The object of the invention is to provide a closure cap and a flexiblerubber pour spout for portable storage containers of the characterdescribed. Portable containers for storage of gasoline, oil, kerosene,etc. are found about the home, farm and factory for convenient fillingof tan-ks of various combustion engine driven tools, outboard motors andheating and lighting appliances. Such containers, being readilyportable, are limited to between one and flve gallons capacity and havebeen heretofore provided with flexible metal pour spouts which are notonly expensive to manufacture and present a possible danger due tostriking the metal spout against a metal surface causing a spark in thepresence of inflammable or explosive vapors from the contents of thecontainers. Such metal spouts are expensive and their replacement due torusting out, loss or damage is costly.

In the present invention, I have provided a novel, durable, flexiblerubber pour spout for the standard screw cap of the usual metalcontainer for the purpose described. Such a spout may be readilyincorporated into or removed from the closure cap and is preferablyprovided with a strainer to restrict passage of foreign matter duringthe pouring operation. The open, end of the spout may be easily pinchedto cut off flow of the liquid prior to righting of the container at theend of the pouring operation. Preferably a stopper, as shown, isprovided and may be readily inserted and removed from the open orpouring end of the spout.

Referring now to the drawing,

FIG. 1 shows a side elevation of a metal storage eontainer and rubberpour spout of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the container and spent of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the spout and closureplug;

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view through the containerclosure cap and spout.

Referring now to the drawing, where like reference characters refer tolike parts, the container 1 is conveniently provided with a carryingbail 2 and a filling opening defined by an upwardly extending neckportion 3 which is closed by a screw cap 4, all of which are ofconventional design and available commercially. The screw cap 4 has atop surface 5 having an opening there in defined by an inwardlyextending continuous flange 6.

The flexible rubber pour spout as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, comprises aneck portion 7 and a base portion 8. The neck portion 7 has an axiallyextending opening 9 therein and opening into the base portion 8.Adjacent the outer end portion of the neck 7 the internal opening 9 isrestricted by an inwardly extending flange portion 10, for a purposehereinafter set forth. Within the said restricted end portion of spoutneck 7 is mounted a readily detachable rubber plug or closure member 11comprising the annular head portion 12 and tapering cylindrical portion13. Intermediate the ends of the portion 13 is an annular outwardlyextending ring 14 adapted ice to engage beneath the flange 10 of thespout when the plug 11 tightly engages within the axial opening 9 of thespout for retaining the plug in engagement with the spout. The base 8 ofthe spout comprises an enlarged annular portion 15 which is larger thantheopening in the surface 5 of the closure cap 4 and an outwardly spacedsmaller annular portion 16 which is slightly larger than the openingdefined by the flange 6 of the closure cap. Connecting the portions 15and 16 is an annular recess 17 having an inner diameter smaller than theopening defined by the flange 6 of the cap 4. Extending outwardly fromthe portion 16 is an annular hollow portion 18 of smaller outsidediameter than that of the portion 16 and having an inside diameterlarger than that of the axial opening 9 in the spout neck portion 7 andis connected therewith. The inner end of the axial opening 9 of thespout 7 is provided with an annular recess 19 for reception of adisc-like metal mesh strainer 20. The spout is assembled with the cap byentering the end portion 18 into the cap opening and forcing the baseportion 16 downward-1y so to slightly compress same and permit theflange 6 of the cap to enter the annular recess opening 17, whereuponthe base portion 16 returns to its normal size and retains the spoutwithin the cap. The spout base portion 15 being larger than the openingin the cap seals the cap opening.

The storage container with the assembled closure cap and spout in placeis as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing. When the container is to be filledwith any suitable. liquid the assembled spout and closure cap 4 issuitably rotated .to disengage from the screw threaded neck 3 of thecontainer and the liquid inserted through the stilling opening afterwhich the cap 4 is again screwed into place with the spout neck 7extending as shown in FIG. 1. For convenient storage of the container :1without the neck 7 projecting as shown in FIG. 1, the spout may berotated relative to the cap 4 and the end of the spout inserted beneaththe container as shown by dotted lines in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings.When it is desired to dispense liquid from the container the end of vthespout may be removed from within the bail and the spout rotated toproject towards the side ofthe container as desired. The plug 11 maythen be removed from the end of spout neck 7 and the container suitablytilted to dispense liquid out of the spout neck 7 which has beeninserted in a suitable filling opening of the receptacle receiving thecontents of the container. When a suitable quantity of the liquid hasbeen thus dispensed, the end of the spout neck 7 may be pinched to cutoff the flow of fluid and the container I returned to an uprightposition. The plug 11 may then be returned to the open end of spout neck'7 and pressed firmly into place with the annular ring 14- thereofengaging beneath the annular inner flange 10 of the spout neck securelylocking the plug in place and sealing the opening of the spout neck 7.The spout neck 7- may then be rotated in a manner previously describedand then inserted under the bail 2 of the container, as shown by dottedlines or not as the person elects.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that a storage containerequipped with the flexible spout as described, provides a ready andconvenient means for storing inflammable or volatile fluid without lossby vaporization and which may be conveniently and safely used intransferring the inflammable and volatile contents from the containerinto any desired receptacle. The spout neck 7 being of rubber will notcause dangerous sparking upon contact with any metal surface. The neck 7being flexible is readily deflectable without injury to the person orobject with which it may come intocontact during handling of thecontainer. The pour spout elfectively seals the contents of thecontainer against loss by vaporization and may be readily moved relativeto the closure cap 4 in the manner desired without developing leakage.The spout is easily manufactured of natural or synthetic rubber orrubber-like materials. I have found that natural or synthetic rubber ofapproximately 40 to 65 durometer provides adequate flexibility as wellas durability in the spout and the closure plug.

I claim:

A pour spout and closure cap for the filling opening of a portablegasoline storage and dispensing container comprising,

a rigid closure cap for detachably mounting upon the filling opening ofsaid container and provided with an apertured top surface portion,

a flexible pour spout base portion of generally cylindrical shapeaxially insertable into said cap top surface aperture and provided withan annular recess intermediate the ends thereof receiving and sealingthe peripheral edges of said closure cap aperture,

said pour spout exterior base portion beneath said annular recess beingtapered for initial insertion and compression within said cap aperturesurface for reception thereof within the said recess,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS WeilJuly 11, Scypinski Apr. 17, Damkroger Apr. 30, Wilson Nov. 11, AhlquistAug. 7, Rielte Dec. 18, Borah Aug. 27, Taylor Oct. 6,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 18,

